About BeadSmart

Started in 2005, BeadSmart is an Australian owned and operated business servicing the local and international market. Sharon Tracey is the glass artist and creative force behind BeadSmart. While BeadSmart sells everything you need to create your own fashion masterpieces, Sharon’s true passion lies in melting glass.

Using a technique called Lampworking, Sharon creates every bead individually by wrapping molten glass around a stainless steel mandrel that has been coated in bead release. Decoration is then added by melting different colour glass rods and using a variety of inclusions in the glass such as gold and silver foil, silver mesh, cubic zirconia’s and much more. The glass is then manipulated into its final shape and put straight into a preheated digitally controlled kiln to anneal overnight for extra strength and durability. A single bead can take up to an hour and a half to make depending on the intricacy of the design and being completely handcrafted, no two beads will ever be the same.

Sharon also enjoys making fused dichroic art glass. This is done by cutting, grinding and assembling dichroic and plain glass and fusing these pieces together at over 1400ºF in her digitally controlled kiln. Again these pieces are left to anneal overnight for maximum durability.

All Sharon’s work is created in her purpose built studio in Brisbane, Queensland.

Sharon is passionate about contributing to the integrity of the art glass industry and is inspired by the creative process. Sharon draws inspiration from her surroundings - the swirling of waves, a view of the ocean through foliage, flowers. Her work is also guided by the will of the glass in its molten form.

Although originally self taught Sharon is hungry to learn everything she can and has trained with Australian Glass artists Tracy Brown, Peter Minson and Bernard Stoner.

In March/April 2008 Sharon got the chance to go to the “glass capital of the world” Murano in Italy to be taught by international glass artists such as Pati Walton and Sarah Hornik. Diane East and Corina Tettinger were also there giving advice and every so often a Muranese glass master would pop in and do a demonstration. It was an experience she will never forget.

If you have any question please feel free to contact Sharon via email or drop in to see her at Shop 7, 99 Wondall Road, Manly West Queensland 4173.